Cantian
The Cantians are a humanoid mammalian race, originating from the planet Garun in the Esa Sector. They are the dominant race of the Republic of Garun, a star nation on the outskirts of inhabited space. The species evolved on a temperate, Earth like planet, and evolved from tree dwelling primate like creatures. Many experts point to these two factors for the puzzling similarities between the Cantains and the Humans of the United Nations. Biology *''Average Height: 5 to 6 feet'' *''Average Weight: 100 to 150 pounds'' *''Average Lifespan: Roughly 400 years with standard life prolonging treatments'' *''Population: ~ 14 Billion'' *''Homeworld: Garun'' Going by human classification systems the Cantian would likely be described as mammals. Their external appearance is remarkably similar to humanity, but there are a number of internal differences. Among the most easily noticeable external differences are slender builds, sharply pointed ears, and often strange hair and eye colors that would not naturally be found on a human. An average Cantian will be somewhat weaker then an average human or equivalent race. However they have sharper eyesight and better hearing then humanity, as well as slightly faster reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Their senses of taste, smell, and touch are fairly equal to humanities. Life Cycle Cantians have an average lifespan of around 400 standard years. However this is primarily due to standard life prolonging treatments and limited genetic enhancement, both of which are subsidized by the government. Without such treatments a Cantains natural lifespan would be around 150 to 160 standard years. Cantians reach sexual maturity around age 30 and are capable of having children until the females of the species undergo a menopause like process sometime between 300 and 320 years of age. It is important to note that the life prolonging genetic treatments used by the race slows their development and stretches out their childhood and adolescence. Generally childhood is defined as the first fifteen years of a Cantian's life, and a Cantian is considered a teen from then until age thirty when they become an adult in the eyes of society. The Cantian species has the unique distinction of being the only sentient race capable of reproducing by both sexual and asexual means. The species' gender ratio is skewed towards females, with just under four females being born for every male. Perhaps as a result the Cantians have evolved a system where they can reproduce sexually in a male-female couple, or a female can reproduce asexually on her own through a semi- parthenogenetic reproduction cycle. This cycle can occur at any time after the reproductive organs are in working order but it is fairly uncommon for a teenager to undergo this process, though it can happen. Cantian's use something similar to the XY chromosome system but while children born from parthenogenetic cycles are always female they are never exact or even near exact clones of their mothers due to the processes involved in the cycle. Even today the exact triggers for the cycle are somewhat of a mystery, but there are several different methods of preventing the parthenogenetic cycle from taking place and all military personnel receive an implanted version of this. Cantians usually give birth to one or two children with triplets or more being extremely rare. They have a slightly higher rate of twins then humanity but not so much that it would be noticeable. Diet Cantains are omnivores who require a fairly balanced diet of animal meat and plant material for proper nutrition. Habit and Population Cantians prefer to live in temperate zones on planets similar to their homeworld, such as Earth. However they are capable of surviving and thriving in most environments that can be found on Earth or other M-Class planets. Culture Cantian culture is traditionally matriarchal and matrilineal, likely due to the species widely skewed gender ratio. It is much more equal in the modern day but historically males were viewed as something to be kept safe and protected. Modern Cantians are organized in families, or clans in more traditional areas, with the oldest female being regarded as the 'leader or matriarch'. However the oldest male will often have a fairly significant amount of input and will often be considered the leader or elder for the male members of the family/clan. Cantians marry for life, with infrequent divorces, in either male-female or female-female pairs. The 'husband' of the pair will join the wife's family, though they generally retain ties with their old kin. Such female-female pairs are regarded as normal but there is a great deal of cultural and societal pressure against male-male pairs. In the mainstream viewpoint males need to father children. In fact there is often a great of familial pressure on them to settle down and get married. Most of the galaxy's current knowledge about the Cantians comes from long distance traders and explorers, a few Cantian criminals that fleeing justice, and similar avenues. The species and their nation have not been involved in any major affairs due to their location, out on the outskirts of known inhabited space. It is only with the recent discovery of the Esu system wormhole terminus that they have begun to become more involved in galactic affairs. One note though, do not call a Cantian a space elf or any similar term unless you want them to try and feed your genitals to you. Religion The Cantians are a fairly spiritual race and there are several religions or sects with significant followings. There are also fairly significant numbers of atheists, agnostics, and similar groups. The largest and most followed religion, as well as the most influential, is the Shinshi Faith – which worships a central creator goddess (Shinshi) who is in turn served by numerous lesser spirits and other beings. The Shinshi Faith has around six billion followers and is actually a relatively united church, with most of the sects accepting the leadership of the Arch-Priestess on Garun. However a persons/family's religious beliefs, or lack of them, is considered a private matter in mainstream Cantian culture. A Cantian will happily answer questions about their beliefs and discuss them but it is considered the height of rudeness to try and force your beliefs on someone else be you religious or non-religious. Language The main Cantian language is often described as smooth, flowing, and almost lyrical. It is written in a series of glyphs or symbols, read from right to left, and is often compared to the Japanese or Chinese languages of humanity. There are actually numerous other languages and scripts being spoken/in use by the Cantians. The language described above is the mainstream language used by the government (including the military and judicial system), higher education, and similar organizations. It is actually a creole language that developed from several of the major languages spoken on the Cantian homeworld as it underwent the process of globalization. Some experts believe that it will eventually replace the other languages currently in use, and indeed several languages have died out since the creole became so widely used. Category:Race